The Pelicans' situation has been unstable ever since the franchise relocated from Charlotte in 2002, and especially since Katrina. This excruciating state of limbo unfortunately defines the Pelicans. It's difficult to say where they belong.

You get the sense Ralph Sampson, if he had been designed by NASA engineers rather than a cruel god, still would have ended up as one of the great Yeah, But guys of his generation: an immensely gifted, lightly snakebitten antecedent to Vince Carter and Chris Webber.

Standing at 7-foot-1 with a reach of nearly nine-and-a-half feet, Poirier provides a massive interior presence with a skill set of which Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge admires.

“He’s an active, athletic player,” Ainge said Wednesday. “He’s just another big body for us, with some things that we need to fine-tune. In our frontcourt, I think that he’s going to have a chance.”

During Euroleague play last season, Poirier averaged 11.9 points and a league-leading 8.3 rebounds per game, while shooting 62.1 percent from the field. Like Kanter, the 25-year-old, French big man is also a strong offensive rebounder, having tallied 5.23 offensive boards per 40 minutes while playing for the Spanish squad Baskonia.

Standing at 7-foot-1 with a reach of nearly nine-and-a-half feet, Poirier provides a massive interior presence with a skill set of which Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge admires.

“He’s an active, athletic player,” Ainge said Wednesday. “He’s just another big body for us, with some things that we need to fine-tune. In our frontcourt, I think that he’s going to have a chance.”

During Euroleague play last season, Poirier averaged 11.9 points and a league-leading 8.3 rebounds per game, while shooting 62.1 percent from the field. Like Kanter, the 25-year-old, French big man is also a strong offensive rebounder, having tallied 5.23 offensive boards per 40 minutes while playing for the Spanish squad Baskonia.

Dude is a good athlete. Our FO obviously believes in him, they paid him as an early 2nd rounder. I think him and Theis might be our 2nd and 3rd big with Tatum or Gordon starting at the 4 which seems likely.

Good assessment:

PLO wrote:Tatum played OK - took advantage of a few mismatches - decent on the defensive end. He is what we thought he was going into the season - a technically very proficient player operating close to his career ceiling as a rookie.

FlatearthZorro wrote:Dude is a good athlete. Our FO obviously believes in him, they paid him as an early 2nd rounder. I think him and Theis might be our 2nd and 3rd big with Tatum or Gordon starting at the 4 which seems likely.

It will be a war between R. Williams, Poirier, Theis, and G. Williams for the 50 minutes backing up Kanter and Tatum (when Tatum is playing the 4).

Standing at 7-foot-1 with a reach of nearly nine-and-a-half feet, Poirier provides a massive interior presence with a skill set of which Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge admires.

“He’s an active, athletic player,” Ainge said Wednesday. “He’s just another big body for us, with some things that we need to fine-tune. In our frontcourt, I think that he’s going to have a chance.”

During Euroleague play last season, Poirier averaged 11.9 points and a league-leading 8.3 rebounds per game, while shooting 62.1 percent from the field. Like Kanter, the 25-year-old, French big man is also a strong offensive rebounder, having tallied 5.23 offensive boards per 40 minutes while playing for the Spanish squad Baskonia.

FlatearthZorro wrote:Dude is a good athlete. Our FO obviously believes in him, they paid him as an early 2nd rounder. I think him and Theis might be our 2nd and 3rd big with Tatum or Gordon starting at the 4 which seems likely.

It will be a war between R. Williams, Poirier, Theis, and G. Williams for the 50 minutes backing up Kanter and Tatum (when Tatum is playing the 4).

I think you're both wrong. I see Kanter and Rob platooning at the 5, with Rob starting after the first of the year--and Vincent as a spot-minutes third stringer there. Theis and Williams probably doing more juggling the extra minutes at the 4 after Tatum.

Standing at 7-foot-1 with a reach of nearly nine-and-a-half feet, Poirier provides a massive interior presence with a skill set of which Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge admires.

“He’s an active, athletic player,” Ainge said Wednesday. “He’s just another big body for us, with some things that we need to fine-tune. In our frontcourt, I think that he’s going to have a chance.”

During Euroleague play last season, Poirier averaged 11.9 points and a league-leading 8.3 rebounds per game, while shooting 62.1 percent from the field. Like Kanter, the 25-year-old, French big man is also a strong offensive rebounder, having tallied 5.23 offensive boards per 40 minutes while playing for the Spanish squad Baskonia.

Wow. That's almost Gobertesque. Nothing on Tacko.... but I didn't realize Poirier was quite that big. I like the size, toughness and rebounding. Will be interesting to see him once he gets over here.

Yet he did next to nothing in SL appearances the last two years. Rob and Tacko far outclassed him on that front. Tacko's standing reach is 10'2.5".

Sure. That's why I said "Nothing on Tacko" and only gave him the faint praise of "will be interesting to see." I think\hope he's coming in as the 4th string behind Kanter\Rob\Theis and if he earns something better, great.

Prediction: None of Kanter/R.Williams/Poirier/Tacko will average more than 27.5 mpg next season. Center by committee, here we go. And who stays on the floor the most on any given night will depend on matchups, injuries, need, how well they're playing, etc. Nothing is handed out from day one like some are assuming with Kanter (though he's the most obvious "starter" due to seniority/NBA experience).

A battle will also ensue for the backup wing/swing minutes between Langford/Ojeleye/G.WIlliams/Theis. Someone could end up outside looking in from that group. Even with minor injuries, there just aren't enough minutes for everybody especially if Brad wants to stagger a couple of his starters with bench units.

Good problem to have on both fronts, unless they turn out to be dicks who demand opportunity/minutes (I don't think they are tbf).

zoyathedestroya wrote:Prediction: None of Kanter/R.Williams/Poirier/Tacko will average more than 25 mpg next season. Center by committee, here we go. And who stays on the floor the most on any given night will depend on matchups, injuries, need, how well they're playing, etc. Nothing is handed out from day one like some are assuming with Kanter (though he's the most obvious "starter" due to seniority/NBA experience).

A battle will also ensue for the backup wing/swing minutes between Langford/Ojeleye/G.WIlliams/Theis. Someone could end up outside looking in from that group. Even with minor injuries, there just aren't enough minutes for everybody especially if Brad wants to stagger a couple of his starters with bench units.

Good problem to have on both fronts, unless they turn out to be dicks who demand opportunity/minutes (I don't think they are tbf).

Okay with everything but romeo is a 2/3 ojele Williams Theis play 4/5. Langford will be stacked against jaylen smart and Tatum Edwards. And whoever is meant to play either 2 or 3.

I don't think Kanter should start. He should come in against the other team's second unit. I'd prefer a better defender at center if Hayward is going to be the starting pf. Whether that starting center turns out to be Theis, Poirier or TL remains to be seen.

so the only one of these guys who can stretch the floor is Theis.It seems like a complete departure from the bigs we've had since Brad got here. I'm happy to get some rebounders and some beef to play down low but I'm scratching my head as to how brad intends to use these guys. maybe he is going to a completely different scheme this year? I really think we think a 6 9- 6 10 guy who can defend and hit the outside shot. it just seems like a weird team. I'd like to see Danny hire kevin McHale as a big man consultant and let him work with williams and perrier ( I know that's not his name) and hopefully Tacko.

Standing at 7-foot-1 with a reach of nearly nine-and-a-half feet, Poirier provides a massive interior presence with a skill set of which Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge admires.

“He’s an active, athletic player,” Ainge said Wednesday. “He’s just another big body for us, with some things that we need to fine-tune. In our frontcourt, I think that he’s going to have a chance.”

During Euroleague play last season, Poirier averaged 11.9 points and a league-leading 8.3 rebounds per game, while shooting 62.1 percent from the field. Like Kanter, the 25-year-old, French big man is also a strong offensive rebounder, having tallied 5.23 offensive boards per 40 minutes while playing for the Spanish squad Baskonia.

Wow. That's almost Gobertesque. Nothing on Tacko.... but I didn't realize Poirier was quite that big. I like the size, toughness and rebounding. Will be interesting to see him once he gets over here.

Yet he did next to nothing in SL appearances the last two years. Rob and Tacko far outclassed him on that front. Tacko's standing reach is 10'2.5".

Poirier reportedly didn't start playing until age 17 and for that reason has gotten much better recently. He supposedly is bigger, stronger, more confident, and has improved hands. As a late-comer to the game, he correspondingly may be hitting his stride late, and there is a chance for him to be a player.

Curmudgeon wrote:I don't think Kanter should start. He should come in against the other team's second unit. I'd prefer a better defender at center if Hayward is going to be the starting pf. Whether that starting center turns out to be Theis, Poirier or TL remains to be seen.

Hayward's been slimming down -- I expect him to lounge at the 3 spot this year. And I think the chances of Theis or Poirier (who is TL?) starting at the 5 are close to nil. That's basically a Kanter/Rob tandem I expect.

Standing at 7-foot-1 with a reach of nearly nine-and-a-half feet, Poirier provides a massive interior presence with a skill set of which Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge admires.

“He’s an active, athletic player,” Ainge said Wednesday. “He’s just another big body for us, with some things that we need to fine-tune. In our frontcourt, I think that he’s going to have a chance.”

During Euroleague play last season, Poirier averaged 11.9 points and a league-leading 8.3 rebounds per game, while shooting 62.1 percent from the field. Like Kanter, the 25-year-old, French big man is also a strong offensive rebounder, having tallied 5.23 offensive boards per 40 minutes while playing for the Spanish squad Baskonia.

djFan71 wrote:Wow. That's almost Gobertesque. Nothing on Tacko.... but I didn't realize Poirier was quite that big. I like the size, toughness and rebounding. Will be interesting to see him once he gets over here.

Yet he did next to nothing in SL appearances the last two years. Rob and Tacko far outclassed him on that front. Tacko's standing reach is 10'2.5".

SL is pretty meaningless. We'll know more about him after 5 minutes of preseason play. Same for Tacko.

Edwards, on the other hand...if you can shoot from 30 feet it doesn't really matter who's guarding you...

It's the closest comparison we have so far. And Vincent was last there just a year ago.

Red2 wrote:so the only one of these guys who can stretch the floor is Theis.It seems like a complete departure from the bigs we've had since Brad got here. I'm happy to get some rebounders and some beef to play down low but I'm scratching my head as to how brad intends to use these guys. maybe he is going to a completely different scheme this year? I really think we think a 6 9- 6 10 guy who can defend and hit the outside shot. it just seems like a weird team. I'd like to see Danny hire kevin McHale as a big man consultant and let him work with williams and perrier ( I know that's not his name) and hopefully Tacko.

My thoughts exactly.

Even in Brad's first year we had 2 quality skill bigs in Sully and KO, a stretch 5 project in Faverani, and even guys like Bass and Hump were mid-range specialists. Now we've got 3 paint-bigs and a mediocre stretch 4/5 in Theis. Grant Williams is the Brad Stevens big on the roster and he's very undersized.

The Poirier signing is the biggest head-scratcher.

Kanter made sense because he was the best value for the room. Theis is useful contract ballast and a solid 3rd stringer. But we have RWIII as a lob/defensive project already. Why go and add Poirier on top of that?

My wild guess is that Brad's evil genius plan is to play Hayward full-time at the 4 and he asked Danny to get him as much size, rebounding and shot-blocking as he could to make it work.

Red2 wrote:so the only one of these guys who can stretch the floor is Theis.It seems like a complete departure from the bigs we've had since Brad got here. I'm happy to get some rebounders and some beef to play down low but I'm scratching my head as to how brad intends to use these guys. maybe he is going to a completely different scheme this year? I really think we think a 6 9- 6 10 guy who can defend and hit the outside shot. it just seems like a weird team. I'd like to see Danny hire kevin McHale as a big man consultant and let him work with williams and perrier ( I know that's not his name) and hopefully Tacko.

My thoughts exactly.

Even in Brad's first year we had 2 quality skill bigs in Sully and KO, a stretch 5 project in Faverani, and even guys like Bass and Hump were mid-range specialists. Now we've got 3 paint-bigs and a mediocre stretch 4/5 in Theis. Grant Williams is the Brad Stevens big on the roster and he's very undersized.

The Poirier signing is the biggest head-scratcher.

Kanter made sense because he was the best value for the room. Theis is useful contract ballast and a solid 3rd stringer. But we have RWIII as a lob/defensive project already. Why go and add Poirier on top of that?

My wild guess is that Brad's evil genius plan is to play Hayward full-time at the 4 and he asked Danny to get him as much size, rebounding and shot-blocking as he could to make it work.

Two reasons for signing Poirier:

1) The wild guess. Although I don't know if its an evil genius plan, so much as the product of necessity. Need rebounding and rim protection at the 5 with the other four guys. And low-maintenance offense would be a bonus.

2) It's also partly about matching up with our EC foes. Giannis is the #1 guy in Milwaukee, Embiid is the #1 guy Philly. You need size and strength inside to just match up with those players at all.